The recent riots and situation in Egypt be no means short of the imagination is terrible, and it could escalate furthur unless a peaceful ressolution is found quickly.  The people sick of a 30 year old dictator are pushing for change something I would have thought our current American President would understand.  The current Egyptian President has refused to stand down instead trying to push through meangingless reforms or window dressing.  Americas dilema is the billion dollar plus aid it gives the military in return getting greater co operation in its so called fight in the war on terror.  Media have been saying this is about as bad as the Iran Revolution and inded as significant as the fall of the Berlin Wall.  Comments also around photos being posted of tear gas cannisters as used by riot police showing made in the USA, also the implications were the military to take deadly force in an attempt to curb the riots and how this might be seen ie using American funded hardware to carryout such attacks.  Thankfully there is no evidence to suggest this may happen and in fact the military have been largely sympathetic to the people.  Americas real dillema is the support the current administration has given to combat terror cells and the threat the Islamist Brotherhood may have to America and the Anti American rhetoric they may promote.  Tough America need to adopt a more realist approach to the world and just suck it up, if you are seen as the bully and seen to tolerate an opressing government in order to get minor gains that coukd be gotten by a new administrarion so long as practical steps in diplomacy and dialogue take place.  France, Britain and Germany have released a joint starement basically a European version of the American one.  Calling for Egypts President to make meaningful changes and a call for calm to the people.  I am quite disapointed they almost seemed to be telling the protestors off and saying to the Cairo hey sort this out.  Another interesting point is the tolerance these nations seem to have for this corruput and un democratic  Regieme but a total reluctance to accept other Nations such as Iran and Ivory Coast.  It shows they will back their team to the hilt and cover up and dress it as much as they can yet pull all the dirty tricks out in other administrations.  Western nations must condem these situations when they occur, but as much as possible not get caught in the operations of another soverign nation.

Ratana speaks for all Maori

So we just had the Major Political Parties descend onto Ratana this week opening the Political Year with the Annual Ratana Celebrations: We will be moving into Waitangi in a couple of weeks then right into the PM Delivering his State of the Nation Speech, opening Parliament for the week, and giving all those Labour Party members that time they so desperately want to try and attack the PM and divide the vary voters they are trying to regain.

The real issue this week though however is, does Ratana speak for all Maori, and does it make any difference what so ever, will Maori vote for you because of Ratana.

I would say a significant probably do take some, a little or a lot of consideration to their Church, Religion and Faith, and there are quite alot of Maori who are Ratana. So I would think it does make a difference, it makes Maori feel special and noticed, and even though I am not Ratana and I will vote for who I think will best protect my Interests, but I still think it is important. And I would suggest that it was important to most if not all Maori weather they are Ratana or not.

I dont think it matters if the Government visit this faith or any other, some comment was raised that they dont go to other faiths AGM's and the like, but I would think that they would have some rather intimate networks into alot of those Organizations.

At the end of the day the Government is never gonna snub this regardless of how few Maori are Actual Ratana so we just have to lump it, or go and do something about it.

I choose to Lump it.

I left my Newspaper at BP.

I left my new Herald Subscription at the BP today, As usual I scanned the two Relevant Front Pages, the Front Page, and the Front Business Page, nothing terribly interesting.
So it wasnt reall missed.

I do still have my Red Bull Magazine, which I have already read the very interesting article about the Star Observatory in South America.

I got to see some Family today which was nice.
I am thinking what to buy for them.

It has been a really busy week doing stuff, the Political Season will kick in next week when everyone goes back to work, and definitely the next week, and soon kids will be back at school.

But things should kick in next week, as we have a Botany By- Election, and this is Election Year.
The other big ones will be weather or not Winston gets back in, then its any game from there. The other big one will be Rodney Hide and weather or not he falls from Grace, and weather or not National Fronts a Credible Candidate to run Agaisnt the Former Dancing with the Stars Contestant and Auckland Harbour Swimmer.

I imagine John Key will get back in, and I think he will look for an exit strategy. I reckon Rodney will not Win in Epsom, and so Act just wont get in the only real hope they had, they have villiefied in Heather Roy, and now the idiot John Boscowan thinks he will take over a party, fund it and get 5% of the vote.

ACT hangs by dear thread in Epsom, and JK has his hands firm on the noose. Its is mere digits in Elections that might give your Party the last list seat, as we seen with Cam Calder, when National lost his List Seat to the Greens after Special Votes were counted. Thats abous as bad as Mike Williams telling Don Brash to wait for the South Auckland vote to come in, our the Surge Mellisa Lee said in Mt Albert, or our Resident Don Brash - Hon John Banks relied on South Auckland not voting, and not voting for Len Brown.

Len Brown will be an issue for the Government not really about Agenda or Alliance but simply that they lost, there man didnt get in.